Sorry if I get this wrong, but I am struggling with operating this forum, I am more used too the Ducati.MS site. I am looking very closely at buying a 2010 TE250 that looks well cared for with low kilometres, for approx $4000AUD What should I look for, before purchasing? I wish to enter the dirt bike world to get me off the governments highways, so I no longer contribute to the Policeman's Ball's, I am sure some of you understand. I wish to do day trips through the Australian bush & see what developes. One day I want to test myself by doing a big trip to the Cape or cross the Simpson Desert, you know what I mean. Anyway, throw me some advice if you will, thanks, Craig
From you photo you look reasonably big, Perhaps a 250 might be a tad underdone for you. That said the 2010 was the last of the old motor. It is the same bottom end and gearbox/clutch as the 310, 450 and 510 so in a 250 it will be bullet proof. Huskys are taller than many bikes so that should be ok for you. In Tamworth this time of year do not be surprised if the Husky turns over slowly on the electric leg. That said make sure the engine is cold before you start her up-will give you an idea if the valves are i spec and therefore looked after. Check wheel bearings and stem bearings the former for lateral play and the latter for notchiness. have a good look at the linkage and have a friend bounce the bike and listen for internal bearing noises. This will also show if the front fork seals are still good. generally if it looks good outside it is probably good inside. I have had this motor across 5 huskies in different capacities and never had a mechanical. Just change the oil after every 3-4 rides and the oil filter every second oil change. Look after your air filter and go ride the bugga. Welcome to cafe Husky.
If the cam chain is the same setup as the TC 250, a chain driving a single sprocket & then geared to both cams, I would take the time to replace the little ball bearing races inside the idle sprocket. There's been a few fail on these pages. Cheap bearings & easy to do with a little knowledge. Cheap insurance.
For what you want to do an older TE 450 or 510 will be perfect, if your lucky enough to find a left over 449 or 511 they would also be great for what you want.
There are a few TE449s & 511s on bike sales just over that price. They are easy to ride & forgiving handlers. If you do end up doing big off road trips like you mentioned, you will need a substantial bike. The 250 will work hard on those type of runs.
If yer a big unit, avoid the small bore, I had the 2010 bike, was pretty gutless but stock and unmodified (by that I mean ecu and injector mod that makes them decent apparently) . You'll get a new, brand new one for $6900 plus on roads, different beast entirely (I now have this one ). As to older 450/510, personally, I wouldn't (been there, got the T shirt) . I'd look at the newer 449/511, plenty about for $5000 and only need setting up properly to go hard (see danger mouse for details) . As a guide. I sold the 2010 xlite 250 for $4600 about 2yrs ago, IMHO, $4000 is too much for it, $3000 would be right.
Mate, my wife and I just crossed the Simpson, brilliant ride but no place for a small Husky. We left our much loved Huskys at home, and did it on our faithfull DRZ two fiddys. 6 bikes in our group, 4 enduro bikes and our two DRZ's. Our two zuki's were the only two bikes not to have any problems.
Jeez chillybean I would have thought a 400/450 would be a weapon of choice out in the Simpson. Good on the old 250's
Yeah, we got a lot of comments about this. My wife is very short and I wanted two bikes the same so we only needed one set of spares. I was lucky enough to own Tony Kirbys DR 250 r that he won his class in the Australian Safari on and came sixth outright on back in the early 90's so I knew of their potential with a bit of work. The two DRZ's we own coped with everything pretty well, more power would have been nice in the really soft dunes but we made it. This trip would have killed my 310 and wife's 250. The Dr's sat comfortably at 100 km/h up the Birdsville track (500km), dropped a tooth on the countershaft for the Simpson crossing (500km), changed gearing again for the Oodnadatta track (600km). 8 days riding and all we had to do was air filter maintainance. The lone Honda CRF on the trip locked up half way. The rest were KTM's one sucked in it's valves on the last day, another suffered repeated wheel bearing issues and the other two had minor electrical issues.
